𝐈𝐗. 𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧 (𝐑𝐞𝐢𝐝𝐨 / 霊道)

Reidо̄ (霊道), meaning Path of the Spirit, is simultaneously an animistic and non-theistic religion mainly revolving around the existence of supernatural entities known as kami (神), believing to inhabit everyday things from the outside environment to objects. Although they are referred to as gods or spirits outside of the Kougo language, this definition does not fully line up, as they are not revered in the same way as deities of other religions.

Instead, Reidо̄ is treated as a passive truth of the world, where the respect of the natural world, and by extension the spirit world, is promoted regardless of specific religious belief.

Additionally, Reidо̄ believes in the ideas of reincarnation and karma, finding great importance in meditation and self-discipline as a means of transcending the cycle of rebirth, finding inner peace, and achieving true enlightenment.

Reidо̄ has been around the island of Koushima for thousands of years, but was soon influenced by outside missionaries from the Kingdom of Hyeon. The new religion being introduced bore roots from Vayshan, and because of its complex ideas that conflicted with Reidо̄’s belief system at the time, many didn’t take to it very kindly.

It was made the national religion by order of the royal family, but due to the public’s rejection of it, it went out of style. However, it still continued to make a long lasting impact, as primary elements of its beliefs and ideas began to slowly trickle into Reidо̄.

As a result, the Vayshan religion was meshed into Reidо̄ as time went on, fully redefining the religion and its practices despite the initial differences.

𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐲

Caretakers of shrines dedicated to the kami, such as shrine maidens, or miko (巫女), and masters of ceremonies, or kannushi (神主), are the primary form of clergy among the Seishin people. They do not hold sway over the government, but instead live peacefully within their designated shrines as advocates of nature.

𝐎𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐅𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐬

While there is not a singular religious order that oversees all, every Reidо̄ order has the same hierarchy and requirements. An aspiring novice of Reidо̄ must be placed through a special curriculum at a certified school or shrine and pass an exam to enter priesthood.

Depending on how well they place in their exam results, a novice is given a rank that tells them the type of occupation they could assume within a shrine. Some novices could become junior or assistant priests if they score the minimum, while those who score rather high can become a head priest at any given shrine except the primary shrine in Shinryoku, but only if the former head priest of the chosen shrine resigns or passes away.

• Alternatively, if one doesn’t wish to enter priesthood specifically, they could instead join a monk order. The process is about the same, with the only difference being that an aspiring monk must begin physical training at their given monastery after finishing academic study. This makes monkhood a rigorous experience, being only recommended for the prepared.

Followers of Reidо̄ are neither below or above anyone else. If anything, those dedicated to becoming caretakers of shrines are treated as knowledgeable of the religion and are respected for such.

• Outsiders are welcomed into the practices of Reidо̄ regardless of belief, as it is their connection to nature above all else that is important. Reidо̄, being treated as a passive force of the world, rarely acts against non-believers because it would be counterintuitive to do so.

𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐋𝐚𝐰𝐬

Mortals are seen as fundamentally pure, meaning that much of Reidо̄ tends to focus on the avoidance of impurities and cleansing or maintaining one’s spiritual purity. However, it is important to acknowledge that purity is not a form of moral judgment, but instead are ways the soul reacts to outside forces. Examples of potential exposure to impurities are childbirth, disease, being victim to crime, witnessing death, or coming into contact with blood and excrement. Other, more severe impure acts that can lead to excessive impurity such as showing disrespect, committing crimes, murder, etc.

• If a person is affected by impurity, they are severed from the spiritual world, which can lead to misfortune and negative karma for both themselves and their peers. Because of this, it is important to undergo purification rituals performed by a kannushi at a shrine, assisted by a miko.

• Most prominently, these rituals involve bathing the body via water, salt, or both. The practice of washing your hands and mouth before entering a shrine is also customary.

Kannagara, or way of the kami, is thought to be the natural order of the universe, and it is generally believed that disrupting it through attempting to control or change natural forces by pollutable means, both physical and spiritual, is a punishable act that leads to disaster and misfortune.

There are no exact laws, commandments, or doctrine to be followed in Reidо̄, although cautionary tales of morality tend to be used. A system of ethics, however, is known to be spoken of within shrines, placing emphasis on sincerity (makoto), honesty (tadashi), hard work (tsui-shin), and gratitude (kansha) towards the kami.

It is generally thought that there is an uncountable number of kami that exist in the universe, lingering in places one might never expect.

𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩

While shrines were previously small and temporary structures of worship, the introduction of Vayshan practices into the Reidо̄ religion created large, permanent shrines that assisted with caring for the kami in the region. The existence of small shrines still exist in more rural, mostly unexplored areas, however, and are often visited by the common people if passed on occasion.

𝐒𝐲𝐦𝐛𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐦

Torii gates are one of the most recognizable symbols of Reidо̄, being positioned at the entrance of shrines regardless of size. Passing through a torii gate is generally seen as a form of purification, and it is thought that spirits and mortals alike that hold bad energy are cleansed or warded against. They are most commonly red, but can be in many different colors and materials.

𝐃𝐞𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐌𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐬

The mythic figures of Reidо̄, the kami, are supernatural entities, similar to spirits and deities, lingering everywhere in the world, co-existing with mortal life. Kami hold domain over many different things, ranging from harvests, storms, earthquakes, or even something as mundane as hair. Not all kami are the same, but they are generally given the same amount of respect regardless.

• A primary example of unique types of kami are the yokai (妖怪), who are suspicious creatures that tend to have a malicious streak. More often than not, they are the result of mortals who have experienced ill-fated deaths, who can return as ghosts known as yūrei (幽霊). Potentially, under the right circumstances, these ghosts can corrupt into vengeful spirits, onryō (怨霊), mother ghosts who died in childbirth, ubume (産女), etc. Other times, they are simply kami who fell out of worship or relevance, like tengu (天狗) and oni (鬼).

𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐌𝐲𝐭𝐡

The universe began as chaotic matter in the shape of an egg, doused in silence and nothingness. Then, traces of movement could be felt inside the egg, where light and the very first particles began to rise to the top of it. However, the light outsped the particles, of which they cannot rise any higher. These particles collected together into the clouds, separating the bright heavens above from the dark, murky earth underneath.

These heavens, aptly named Tenkai (天界), became the sacred birthplace of the heavenly gods, or the Tentsukami (天つ神). The earth, on the other hand, was named Koshiji (輿地), and became the home of the earthly gods, or the Koshigami (輿神).

• Mortals were born alongside the kami and the world, not quite being created by an otherworldly entity, but as an innate part of the universe like all else.

𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐁𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐟𝐬

When a person dies, the soul will go on a journey of 28 days through the underworld, otherwise known as Kuraki-Michi (冥き途). The path through Kuraki-Michi is dark at first, which is why it is customary for mourners to light incense and candles throughout the duration of the trip. Eventually, the soul will reach a garden of spider lilies and a river of blood called the Futatsukawa (二つ川), or simply the Futatsu River. Before the soul can try to cross, they will be judged before the Shinigami (死神), hundreds of kami whose purpose is to guide and observe wayward spirits through the underworld, where their karma will come into question.

Only the most pure in life can cross the river via a bridge, while the others must wade through. The blood in the river is thick and could fully engulf a person unfortunate enough to not keep pace, so a vial of water is usually offered by the deceased’s family in the living world so that they could lessen the blood’s viscosity. In recent times, it was believed that a ferryman could take you across for a small fee of gold regardless of negative karma, but this could potentially be a trick by a malicious yokai if one is not careful.

Each kami will continue to judge the soul every seven days. In the overworld, the deceased’s relatives will, if they have the time, hold a ceremony accordingly to alleviate the soul’s sins. This can be done through prayer, writing talismans, or sometimes sacrifices of animals to transfer some negative karma onto the beast’s spirit instead.

Eventually, after the 21st day, the soul’s judgment is almost complete. The Shinigami of Kuraki-Michi will roll three marbles at the start of the week, the middle of the week, and the end of the week. These marbles dictate which realm the soul will return to, what they will be reincarnated as, and how long the new life would last.

• There are four realms that a soul can be reincarnated in:

  • The Realm of Gods, a place of splendor, pleasure, and magnificence.

  • The Realm of Man, being self explanatory.

  • The Realm of Animals, reborn as animals who live in fear of being killed and eaten.

  • The Realm of Hell, the worst of the realms, where a soul is tortured until their bad karma has been fully atoned for. However, it is possible to be tried once more in Kuraki-Michi when the 100th day has passed in this realm.

These realms, while having their pros and cons, are never permanent. Every life that exists in each one has the chance to be reincarnated into a new realm, creating a never ending cycle of rebirth. The only way to avoid going to any of these realms at all is to achieve pure enlightenment, where the soul can be fully liberated by letting go of personal desires and attachments.